Game Thread: Giants at Reds – Rain Delay

Today, your Cincinnati Reds go for a sweep of the four-game series against the San Francisco Giants. The Reds are undefeated in July and 7-8 so far during this difficult stretch of games before the All-Star break. The Giants have a losing record overall, but are the same number of games (4) out of first place in their division as the Reds are in the NL Central.

Mike Leake (7-3) takes the ball for the Reds and Matt Cain (5-4) pitches for the Giants. Leake, who leads the Reds’ rotation in ERA (2.52) and is third in FIP (3.52), has pitched brilliantly the past two months and is coming off strong performances against the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Matt Cain has struggled (relative to his previous seasons) a bit in 2013, with a 4.29 ERA and 4.05 FIP. He has a career record of 4-5 against the Reds. You might remember the last time Cain pitched in GABP. If you’re interested in some theories for why (or even if) Cain is struggling this year, try this article from Eno Sarris at FanGraphs. Conclusion: Cain has trouble with the Cardinals and has left a few pitches in the heart of the plate.

It has been raining here this morning and more is predicted for the area this afternoon. “We recognize today’s forecast indicates the potential for rain throughout our region, but there also appears to be a chance we can get the game in,” said Reds Chief Operating Officer Phil Castellini.

If you’re wondering, Homer celebrated his second no-hitter with Dot and Billy.

Homer also received over 300 congratulatory messages including one from Roger Clemens. C. Trent Rosecrans reports that when Homer first came up to the Reds in 2007, he requested uniform #21 because that was the number worn by the Rocket. None of Clemens’ 354 career wins were no-hitters, but he did take seven of them into the seventh inning or later. Nolan Ryan took twenty-four into the seventh or later.

Reminder: Today is the last day you can vote online for the All-Star game starters.

Today’s lineup. As someone correctly predicted last night, Chris Heisey’s home run and two RBI earned him a seat on the bench today. Devin Mesoraco catches the day game after 11 innings in a night game, but hey, he’s young.

40 thoughts on “Game Thread: Giants at Reds – Rain Delay”

XP has been in a serious funk at the plate (.133/.188/.200) for the past 6 series, 11 games. His SO rate during that period has been 37.5% and his BABIP has been .222. Let’s hope he can begin pulling out of his funk today against Cain.

@Mwv: (1) It’s supposed to rain all day, (2) There is no other day this game can be played that is consistent with the collective bargaining agreement, therefore (3) This game will be played if at all possible even if they have to wait for hours (which they might).

@Steve Mancuso: Okay, thanks. Sorry, not tuning into the radio or anything because I’m trying to get some work done during this rain delay and listening to Marty isn’t very good for being in a productive frame of mind.

@Mwv: don’t know if you’re listening to the radio broadcast, but they’ve been saying that the two teams have no common off days the rest of the season, so they will wait until this evening, if necessary, to try to get the game in.

It looks like there is a small window around 5:30 when the % chance of rain drops below 45%. At 7pm there is 0% chance of rain, but at 8pm there is 100% chance. After that, the next time the percent chance of rain falls below 40% is Saturday at 10am.

Ludwick recently resumed baseball activities after originally being told that wouldn’t happen until the All-Star break. With that, Ludwick said he’ll soon be able to start a rehab assignment with either Triple-A Louisville or Double-A Pensacola.

“I feel no pain in my shoulder, and I’m probably taking 85 percent effort swings,” Ludwick said. “I was thoroughly surprised because every other surgery I’ve had, those first initial movements, whether it was the knee or the hip, you feel it. I haven’t felt anything, which is a nice surprise. When you have that much time off, you’ve go to go. It’ll probably be an extended one, too, 50 at-bats or so. It’ll be like Spring Training in July.”

@Steve Mancuso: Thanks. That makes sense. I hope it doesn’t come down to mattering, and then playing a one-game play-in/playoff after the fact. Still a productive day ASG voting & (hopefully) watching the Bucs lower the Jolly Roger.

Interesting situation with the probable pitchers for the Seattle series. Homer Bailey was scheduled to pitch on Sunday against the Mariners and the Reds had announced a ticket special of four seats for $34. Kind of a Johnny Vander Meer thing. But now, will they just push all the pitchers back one day, which would bump Homer to pitching in Milwaukee on Monday?

I’ve been working on the series preview for Seattle and believe me when I tell you that Homer had a much better chance of going back-to-back against the weak M’s lineup than the Brewers in Milwaukee.

I just noticed that Leake will match up tomorrow against our old friend and ex-Reds, Aaron Harang.

With Cueto’s tenuous physical status for the remainder of this season, I think skipping Cingrani’s rotation spot at every opportunity makes a lot of sense. He could run into an innings crunch by the end of the season and he makes a lot of pitches per innings.

@pinson343: And be subjected to the grief that bozzo’s like me direct at Dusty? 🙄 It is kinda fun to absurdly believe that we know more about managing a MLB team than those with real experience sometimes, but I’ll certainly pass on that opportunity.

And right back to you LV. I hope the rain didn’t interfere with afternoon and evening cookouts anyone had planned for the 4th, but I’m afraid tonight’s firework celebrations for the kids may be in serious jeopary.

The teams both have 8/29 off, but are in Col (SF) and STL (Reds), and then go to AZ (SF) and Col (Reds). They could do it, but it would ideally require Col and STL to play day games on 8/28, play a day game on 8/29 at GAB, and then get out for 8/30. It could be done as a night game on 8/29 without disturbing 8/28, but I don’t know if any of these options violate the CBA.

It sounds not good, but if the Reds were to have to play this game on 9/30, it would be a real mess for the league. It could mean that there’s a wild card play in game (for the #2 wild card) on 10/1, and then the actual wild card game on 10/2.

The only common off day these teams have is 8/29. The only problem both teams would have to play 34 straight days. That will not happen. A great idea both teams play a DH on 8/27. Then make up the game on the 28th.

For the Reds sake I would like to have seen the Reds play today, as I believe they would have won and the makeup options are not good. But they did pick up a half game on the Pirates. The Angels have a dangerous lineup, maybe they do something off Wainwright.

I just took a glance at the Seattle v. Texas game tonight and realized that the Reds will miss both Hernandez (2.69 ERA & 1.11 WHIP) & Iwakuma (2.42 ERA & 0.88 WHIP), who pitched yesterday and tonight, respectively. That bodes well for the good guys in this weekend’s series at GABP.

The Halos are also up on the Dirty Birds, 2-0, bottom of the 3rd inning.